​Gas, Fussiness & Settling

In the early weeks, gas and fussiness are very common, and you can usually feel your baby's tummy becoming a little tight while they cry as though something is bothering them. What helped us was a gentle tummy massage, bicycle legs, and holding her upright for a few minutes after feeds. Tummy time also helped because it naturally puts a little pressure on the tummy and sometimes provided relief. Warm baths, slow burping, and keeping feeds calm also made a difference on some days. If the crying feels intense, lasts for a long time, or something doesn't seem right, it's always best to check with your doctor for reassurance.

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Visitor Guidelines

During the early months, I preferred visitors to wash their hands before holding the baby and avoid visiting if they had a cold, fever, or were feeling unwell. I also preferred that only a few people held her when necessary and avoided anyone coming too close to her face or kissing her. These were simple boundaries that helped reduce the risk of infections during those early months.

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Vaccinations & Doctor Visits

Keeping the vaccination card updated helped me stay organized. I followed the schedule given by our pediatrician, noted the next due date, and planned visits around it so nothing was missed. These appointments also helped us keep track of her growth, development, and milestones.

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After Vaccinations

Most of her vaccinations went smoothly. She would cry while receiving the injection, but within a few minutes she was back to playing as though nothing had happened. As far as I can remember, she never developed a fever, swelling, leg pain, or any other noticeable discomfort afterwards. Every baby responds differently, but we were fortunate that all of her vaccinations went very smoothly.

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Teething

Teething can be uncomfortable, but every baby experiences it differently. When she started chewing on her hands and mouthing objects, I introduced safe silicone teethers, which helped provide relief. Whenever she seemed uncomfortable, I would gently massage her gums with clean hands. There were also times when she would bite while feeding, so I would calmly unlatch and try again. For us, teethers, gentle gum massage, patience, and extra cuddles were the most helpful during this phase.

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Nasal Care During Colds

Whenever her nose was blocked, saline drops followed by a gentle nasal aspirator helped clear the mucus and made feeding and sleeping much more comfortable.

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Baby Care Essentials

A few things I always liked having at home were a thermometer, saline drops, a nasal aspirator, diaper rash cream, and our pediatrician's contact saved and ready. Having these basics on hand made stressful moments feel much more manageable.

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Trust Your Instincts

One of the biggest things I learned was to trust my instincts. If something didn't feel right, I never hesitated to contact our pediatrician, even if it turned out to be something minor. A little reassurance is always better than unnecessary worry.

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Ear Piercing

We chose to pierce our daughter's ears when she was around five months old. Her left ear healed well after the first piercing with a piercing gun. However, the placement of the right ear was not correct, so it was pierced a second time using a piercing gun, but the placement was still not satisfactory.

We then visited a trusted jeweler who used the traditional needle-based method for a third attempt. About 30 minutes before the procedure, we applied a numbing cream, which helped make it more comfortable. The ear was carefully marked, positioned correctly, and pierced using a sterile needle attached to a gold earring. Fortunately, this attempt healed well and gave us the result we were hoping for.

Based on our experience, I would recommend choosing an experienced jeweler or doctor who is skilled in ear piercing. Proper marking and accurate placement are just as important as the piercing itself, so take the time to ensure the person performing the procedure knows exactly how to position and pierce the ear correctly.